Kim Slate & Sean Chao

Alberta Arts District

When

Mar. 8–30, 2025

Days Vary, Times vary

Free

Where

Nucleus Portland

2916 NE Alberta St B
Portland, OR 97211

The following description was submitted by the event organizer.

Even from a young age growing up in Eastern Washington, Kim Slate had a fascination with the creation of images and the power they had to capture the imagination and elicit emotion. The encouragement of her interests and talents led her to study animation, where the power of images is amplified by story. After graduation, she applied her training to several feature films, most recently the award-winning film Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio. In her sculptures and paintings, she has honed a unique perspective, depicting the mysterious and sometimes mischievous adventures of ordinary and exotic creatures. Each piece suggests a narrative, her charming characters caught in some act of scheming, play, or discovery. Kim resides in Portland, where she can be found running its miles of forest trails or traveling with her husband and four-year-old son.

Originally from Taipei, Taiwan, Sean Chao now lives in Los Angeles. In 2007, Chao graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, with a BFA in Illustration. He learned how to create in a variety of mediums, from drawing to painting to sculpture. He found that he liked making art with his hands. Chao creates his miniature sculptures in a small studio with Sculpey (a type of polymer clay), bass wood, balsa wood, paper, wire, and painstaking precision. He creates a delicate balance in his sculptures by showing enough detail to illicit amazement and yet enough imperfection to reveal that they’re lovingly handmade. Nature is a recurring theme in Chao’s work. He often depicts dense forests filled with plants, animals, and insects. He’s also portrayed ocean scenes and even space scenes. He creates a lot of movement in every scene so that each one feels like a moment frozen in time.  Watching people view Chao’s artwork, you can’t help but notice their looks of awe as they pore over all the minute details and then their smiles as they walk away. So, his intention with his artwork is to offer a bit of joy to people who seem to be working. Art that tries to change the world — even in a small way — may not be so simplistic after all.

Opening Reception: March 8 / 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.